Toy typewriter



Nov. 1, 1949. s, 5, BERGER 2,486,702

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed March 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Samuel[fierger' ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1 949. s, I. BERGER 2,486,702

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed March 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Yam 0 0m 46 Ii llllllll INVENTQR 15' amzaei j: Berger ATTORNEYS s. I. BERGER TOYTYPEWRITER Nov. 1, 1949.

Filed March 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNVENTOR Samuellliezyer 9 91ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1949.

s. 1. BERGER TOY TYPEWRITER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 29, 1946ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1 1949 UNITED STATES FAEENT OFFICE TOYTYPEWRITER Samuel I. Berger, Newark, N. J.

Application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 658,318

11 Claims.

It isamcng the objects of the present invention to provide a toytypewriter which has all of the advantages of that of my previousapplication Serial No. 626,199, filed November 2, 1945, which has issuedas Patent No. 2,398,765 dated April 23, 1946, including the usesubstantially solely of sheet metal and rod stock to simulate inappearance a genuine portable typewriter, and to do so by a structure oflower cost, more attractive appearance, greater convenience in operationand enhanced reliability in use.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toy typewriter according to thepresent invention showing its general appearance, with the simulatedkeyboard and associated structure in place thereon,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken along line 2--2 ofFig. 1 but with the simulated keyboard removed more clearly to disclosethe construction,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1, andshowing the carriage in idle position,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, showing the key leverdepressed,

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the spacing leverdepressed,

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the key lever depressed andthe type wheel in typing position,

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on line 9-9 of Fig.8, and

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the pawl lever.

Referring now to the drawings, the toy typewriter shown in perspectivein Fig. 1 simulates the general appearance of a modern portabletypewriter, presenting as it does a base I I, a simulated standardkeyboard l2, a housing I3 to the rear thereof of the shape anddimensions commonly used on standard typewriters to enclose the keylever basket and the ribbon mechanism, and a platen structure M to therear of the housing.

The sham keyboard and housing are preferably of a single sheet metalstamping, the housing portion being enlarged at its middle as a hood IEto enclose the main operating parts of the toy typewriter, which aremounted on an oblique rectangular platform I6 and are quite differentfrom those of a standard portable typewriter.

That platform is a unitary part of the base that has a short front wallll, a higher rear wall [8 and trapezoidal side walls I9. The shamkeyboard is divided at 23 and single key lever 2| protrudes therefrom,depression of which effects the typing operation.

Upon the middle of the platform is affixed a standard, preferably aU-shaped sheet metal bracket 22, between the walls of which is pivotedon a shaft 23, a carriage, preferably also a U-shaped sheet metal blank24, which serves to mount the type wheel 25 that is pivoted between theside walls of said carriage about an axle 26. The type wheel has rigidlyabout the periphery thereof the type heads comprising the sequence ofletters and numerals. Pivoted on an axle 21 through the forward end ofthe standard, is the key lever 2|, the rear end of which is pivoted to alink 28, the upper end of which is pivoted at 64 to the carriage 24, sothat the latter will be pivoted about its pivot 23 by thrust transmittedfrom the key lever 2| through the link 28 for rocking the type wheelrearward to typing position against the simulated platen M, which latterneed not be described as it it substantially identical with that of myprior application above identified.

Preferably the type lever is formed with a hook 30 unitary therewithwhich in normal or idle position of the machine extends over a lug 3|unitary with the carriage 2d and thereby locks the latter in idleposition, to which it is urged by coil spring 32. The type lever 2| isretained in said locking position by the pressure exercised by itsreturn leaf spring 33 intervening between the platform [6 and the fingerend of the key lever 2|. As in the earlier case, the pivot pin 34connecting the key lever Zl to link 28 rides in an elongated slot 35 insaid link to afford the lost motion during the initial portion of thekey lever stroke for clearance of the locking hook 30 preparatory totilting the carriage to typing position.

The type wheel, according to the present invention is adjusted to aselected setting by means of a rotatable dial knob 36 keyed to the endof the type wheel axle 2B and exposed laterally atknob 36. That meanspreferably comprises a ratchet wheel 31 keyed as at 68 upon the typewheel axle 26, interposed between the type wheel and the dial knob andprovided with teeth 3'1. the interdental spaces of which correspond tothe respective characters and numerals on the dial knob and type wheel.Coacting with the ratchet wheel is a pawl lever 39, which is pivotallymounted at one end to one wall of the carriage 24 and which bears a pawlroller 40 near its opposite end urged by coil spring 4| into engagementbetween teeth of the ratchet. The coil spring is preferably anchored atone end to a lug 42 near the mounting end of the pawl lever and at itsother to a lug 43 on the adjacent portion of the carriage 24. The pawlroller 40 is preferably pivoted, as best shown in Fig. 10, in a clevisformed between the main length of the pawl lever and the reverselyturned extremity 44 of said lever.

The hood encases the type wheel 25, the associated carriage 24 andstandard 22, as well as the ratchet wheel 3'! and its associated pawllever 39, only the dial knob 36 upon the protruding extremity of thetype wheel axle 26 being exposed laterally of said hood for facility ofmanually turning the same. The hood I5 is preferably formed with aunitary outstanding pointer 45 overlapping the side of the dial knob forindicating the setting of said knob and accordingly of the type wheel.

Preferably a leaf spring 46 is affixed to, the platform, desirably at41, to the escapement box 48 mounted on the platform I 6, and rises inan upward bend, as best shown in Fig 2, in the path of the lower edge ofthe clevis cross bar 49 on the pawl lever 39. Accordingly, as the typelever 2| is depressed to urge the type wheel to typing position, as bestshown in Fig. 8, the pawl is depressed against and deflects the leafspring 46, as best shown in Fig. 8, more securely to retain the pawllever against the ratchet wheel and thereby to preclude any shifting ofthe type wheel from set position.

For applying ink to the type head, an ink retaining absorbent roller 59which is itself conventional, is preferably provided. This roller ismounted upon a bail 5| straddling the type wheel and pivoted about thetype wheel axle 26. The bail has a pair of slots '52 extendinglongitudinally and preferably obliquely from its cross arm 53 and insaid slots is mounted a wire spring holder h with two legs 54 and 55resiliently urged apart by the connecting loop 56, one of said arms 55extending through a sleeve 5'! between the arms of the bail upon whichsleeve is mounted the ink'roller 50. Accordingly, the spring holder mayreadily be withdrawn for replacement of the ink roller as required. Inthe normal or idle position of the machine, th ink roller is held freefrom engagement with the type wheel, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5.This is accomplished by a stop post 58 of sheet metal rising from theplatform, the forward edge of which post engages the sleeve 51 anddeflects the latter as the carriage nears normal or idle position in itsreturn stroke, as shown in Figs. 3

and 5. The bail 5| is also connected by means of a wire link 59 to thebase, desirably to the escapement box 48 thereon, as most clearly shownin Fig. 4. Accordingly, when the type lever 2| is depressed, after thetype wheel has been set, the pivoting movement of the carriage resultsin a clockwise pivoting of the bail 5|, from the position shown in Fig.4, to clear the platen structure M, as indicated in Fig. 8. In thecourse of pivoting the carriage toward typing position, the sleeve 5'7clears the stop post 58, so that the wire spring holder h brings the inkroller 50 into engagement with the type wheel 25 and rolls therealongduring the final portion of the carriage stroke to ink the selected typehead.

The inking bail 5| is preferably formed with a unitary outstruck pointer69 at the middle of its cross arm 53 to indicate the position of imprinton the paper.

In the initial alignment of the machine, it is desirable to adjust thepawl lever 39 relative to the ratchet wheel 31 in order to ensureaccurate detenting of the selected type in printing position relative tothe platen structure. To this end means is provided for effecting slightadjustment of pawl lever 39 with respect to the carriage. For thispurpose the pivot end of pawl lever 39 is preferably off center througha circular cam plate 6| fitting into a corresponding circular hole inthe pawl lever 39, the cam plate being flanged as at 62 for adequatebearing upon the pawl lever 39 and having outstanding lugs 63 tofacilitate rotary adjustment of said cam plate. The pivot pin 64eccentrically through the cam plate 6| and the link 28 is a rivet,headed over on one side of the type wheel carriage 24. It will thus beseen that by rotary adjustment of the cam plate 6|, the pawl lever 39may be moved forward or back slightly about its pivot 64 for the desiredaccurate detenting of the selected type.

The escapement structure is quite similar to that of my above identifiedapplication and need therefore be but briefly described. The escapementbox 48 is conventional and its interior parts are therefore not shown.Its protruding pawls (not shown) coact with an indented rack 65 (Fig. 1)on the base of the platen structure. The escapement is operated from acam plate 66 freely rotatable about the axle 21 of the key lever andconnected by a wire link 69 hooked at 69 to plate 66 at one end and tothe mechanism in the escapement box 48 at the other. A link 10 pivotedat one end as at 29 to carriage 24 and having a stud 1| at its other endriding in an arcuate slot 12 in the cam plate causes the latter to bepivoted (Figs. 5 and 6) near the end of the depression stroke of keylever 2|, thereby to pull the link 68 forward for the escapement action.

The spacer lever 13 protruding through the forward part of the platformI6 is pivotally anchored at its rear end as at 14 to the rear wall I8and is connected by an upstanding link '15 pivoted thereto at 16 to theend of an arcuate slot H in the cam plate 66 into which it is hooked at16, so as to ride idly in said slot when the type lever 2| is depressed,and to actuate the escapement through the link 68 when the spacing lever73 is depressed, the slot 12 of the cam plate affording the requisitelost motion relative to the type lever in the latter action.

The operation may be briefly summarized.

The dial knob 36 is first turned to set position, indicated by pointer45. In reaching that setting, the ratchet wheel 31 ratchets over theroller 40 of the spring urged pawl lever 39 and resiliently holds theratchet wheel and with it the type wheel in the set position.

The key lever 2| is now depressed and during the movement of pin 34 inlost motion slot 35, the locking hook 30 becomes disengaged. In thecontinued depression of key lever 2|, the carriage 24 rocks about itspivot 23 to cause the selected type to become pressed against the paperon the platen, as best shown in Fig. 8. In this operation the lowerforwardedge of thepawl clevis 39 engages and depresses the spring 46 andits roller 40 is thereby resiliently held against the ratchet wheelsecurely to retain the latter and with it the type wheel againstdisplacement from said position.

In the course of the depression of the key lever, the holder 71. for theink roller clears the stop post 58 so that the roller 50 is resilientlyurged against the type wheel, and in the course of the forward pivotingof the carriage the bail is pivoted by link 59 for its roller 50 to inka few of the type heads including the one to be imprinted and to clearthe platen as best shown in Fig. 8, as the imprint occurs.

Upon release of the key lever, the spring 32 returns the carriage 24 tothe home position shown in Fig. 4 and the stop post 58 at the end ofsaid return movement deflects the ink roller 50, as best shown in Fig.3, away from the type wheel 25 so that no inkin occurs during thesetting of the type wheel for the next character to be imprinted. Alsothe spring 33 returns the key lever to home position in which it looksthe carriage against pivoting by the engagement of locking hook 30 withlug 3 I.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a typewriting mechanism the combination of a base, a platenstructure at the rear part thereof, a carriage pivoted on said base, atype wheel having an axle rotatably mounted in said carriage, arotatable dial knob affixed to one end of said axle, and a hood aflixedto said base and enclosing said type wheel, but exposing said knob atone side thereof, said hood having a fixed pointer adjacent theperiphery of said knob.

2. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platenstructure at the rear part thereof, a carriage pivoted to said base, atype wheel having an axle rotatably mounted in said carriage, a dialknob afiixed to one end of said axle, a hood affixed to said base andenclosing said type wheel, but exposing said knob at one side thereof,said hood having a fixed pointer adjacent the periphery'of said knob, aratchet wheel coaxial and rigid with said type wheel and said knob, anda spring pressed pawl lever pivoted to said carriage and coasting withsaid ratchet wheel for resiliently retaining th type wheel in setposition. a

3. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platenstructure at the rear part thereof, a carriage pivoted to said base, atype wheel having an axle bearing in said carriage, a dial knob afiixedto one end of said axle, a hood affixed to said base and enclosing saidtype wheel but exposing said knob at one side thereof, said hood havinga fixed pointeradjacent the periphery of said knob, a ratchet wheelcoaxial and rigid with said type wheel and said knob, a spring pressedpawl lever pivoted to said carriage and coacting with said ratchet wheelfor resiliently retaining the type wheel in set position, means formaking said carriage to imprint the selected type againstthe platen, andresilient stop means in the pathof said pawl lever as the typingposition of the carriage is reached, resiliently to press the sameagainst the periphery of said ratched wheel to preclude displacement ofthe type wheel from set position in thecourse of typing.

4. A toy typewriter, comprising a base, a standard rising therefrom, acarriage pivoted in said standard, said carriage having a type wheelwith an axle pivoted in the walls of said carriage, a ratchet wheelafiixed on said axle, a rotatable dial knob aflixed in exposed positionto the end of said axle for setting of said type wheel, a pawl leverpivoted to said carriage, and a spring anchored to said-lever and saidcarriage for urging said pawl lever toward said ratchet wheel, said pawllever having a roller near its free end resiliently ratcheting over saidratchet wheel in the setting of said knob.

5. A- toy typewriter comprising a base, a standard rising therefrom, a,carriage pivoted in said standard, said carriage having a type wheeltherein with an axle pivoted in the walls of said carriage, a ratchetwheel afiixed on said axle, a rotatable dial knob afiixed to said axlein exposed position, a, pawl lever pivoted to said carriage, having apivoted roller near its free end, and a spring anchored to said leverand said carriage for urging said pawl lever toward said ratchet wheelresiliently to ride over the teeth of said ratchet wheel in the settingof said knob, said base having a leaf spring rising obliquely therefromin the path of the lower free end of the pawl lever as the latter isrocked forward with the carriage toward typing position, thereby to urgethe roller thereof into more intimate contact with the ratchet wheel topreclude shifting of the latter from set position.

6. In a toy typewriter, a base, a platen structure rising from the rearthereof, a standard in front of said platen, a carriage pivoted in saidstandard, an axle rotatably mounted in said carriage and having afiixedthereon in coaxial relation therewith, a type wheel, a ratchet wheel,and a dial knob, the latter being exposed beyond the carriage at oneside thereof, means for rocking said carriage to typing position, saidmeans comprising a type lever pivoted to the standard, and a linkconnecting said type lever to the carriage for tilting the latter, a,pawl lever pivoted to said carriage adjacent the carriage end of saidlink and having a ratchet wheel engaging roller near the free endthereof, and a spring urging the roller end of said lever against saidratchet wheel.

7. The combination recited in claim 6 in which a circular plate bears inan opening in the pawl lever and in which said plate has an ofi-centerpivot in said carriage for adjustment of the pawl lever relative to theratchet Wheel.

8. In a toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a platen structurenear the rear thereof, a sheet metal standard, a sheet metal carriagehaving sides adjacent to the sides of said standard and pivoted therein,a spring urging said carriage about its pivot to idle position, a keylever for tilting the carriage rearwardly to typing position, a typewheel within said carriage, an axle rigid therewith having bearings insaid carriage, a ratchet wheel rigid and coaxial with said axle andexternally of the carriage, a pawl lever pivoted to said carriage andhaving a roller near the free end thereof, a spring urging the theperiphery of 7 pawl lever for engagement of the roller thereof with theperiphery of the ratchet wheel, a hood about said carriage and saidratchet wheel, exposing one end of said axle, and a dial knob affixed tothe said protruding end. of said axle and rigidtherewith for settingsaid type wheel.

9. The combination recited in claim 8 in which the pawl lever is ofsheet metal and has a reversely turned extremity, the roller extendingtransverse- 1y between the lever proper and said extremity and engagingthe ratchet wheel, a leaf spring rising obliquely from the base and inthe path of the lower end of said reversely turned pawl lever end andengaged and depressed by the latter as the type wheel in the operationof the key lever approaches typing position.

10. In a, toy typewriter, the combination of a base, a platen structurerising from the rear thereof, a standard rising from said base and infront of said platen structure, a carriage pivoted in said standard, atype wheel having an axle rotatably mounted in said carriage, a ratchetwheel coaxial with and afiixed to said axle, a pawl lever having a pivoton said carriage at the outer side thereof and having a roller near itsfree end, a spring resiliently urging said roller against the peripheryof said ratchet wheel, a hood afiixed to said base and encompassing saidcarriage, said standard and said ratchet wheel and laterally exposingone end of said axle, a rotatable dial knob afiixed to said exposed axleend, a sequence of letters and numerals peripherally about said 8 knob,and a pointer near the periphery of said knob and rigid with said hood.

11. A toy typewriter comprising a base, a single metal stampingcomprising a sham keyboard and a generally cylindrical housing portionto the rear thereof aflixed to said base, said housing portion having acentral hood, a standard under said hood afiixed to said base, a, typewheel carriage under said hood, a key lever protruding through acorresponding port in said sham keyboard for moving said type wheelcarriage to typing position, and means exposed at the exterior of saidhood for setting the type Wheel.

SAMUEL I. BERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 322,989 Spiro July 28, 1885438,665 Weiss Oct. 21, 1890 489,072 Edland Jan. 3, 1893 627,218 WendtJune 20, 1899 1,944,597 Fischer Jan. 23, 1934 2,210,064 Chisholm Aug. 6,1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,122 Great Britain 1906278,277 Great Britain 1927

